Tag: Chris Bergoch

Oscar Watch: Red Rocket

Former MTV VJ’s turned actors is not a new phenomenon. For the kids in the crowd, that network MTV used to play videos of our favorite musical artists back in the day. Bill Bellamy headlined How to Be a Player in the late 90s. Karen Duffy was a henchwoman in Dumb and Dumber. And, of course, there’s the many contributions from Pauly Shore to the cinematic universe.

None of these performances garnered awards buzz, but Simon Rex appears poised to change that dynamic after his work on the network a quarter century ago. Rex is the star of Red Rocket, which has screened at Cannes. He’s no stranger to silver screen as he costarred in volumes 3-5 of the Scary Movie series.

This one is a whole new ball game courtesy of director Sean Baker. Four years ago, he made the acclaimed The Florida Project. It probably came close to Best Picture and Original Screenplay nods, but didn’t get there. Willem Dafoe was nominated for Supporting Actor. Baker (along his cowriter Chris Bergoch) are also responsible for 2015’s heralded Tangerine.

Red Rocket casts Rex as a former adult film performer who returns to his rural Texas uptown. A gander at the actor’s Wikipedia page will inform you there’s some meta activity happening here. Early reviews offer praise for the lead and picture itself.

So will this be the Academy breakthrough for Baker and company that The Florida Project couldn’t eventually reach? Some critics are saying it doesn’t quite match the filmmaker’s predecessor in terms of overall quality. Distributor A24 will surely mount a campaign and I believe that will include Suzanna Son in Supporting Actress as reviews are also singling her out.

We don’t know yet how crowded Best Actor will be, but I suspect Rex and his costar will at least be on the radar moving forward. Picture, Director, and Original Screenplay could be more of a challenge. One thing’s for certain: nomination or not, this will be the closest a former VJ gets to the big show. My Oscar Watch posts will continue…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLXJdQ4M2hg

The Florida Project Movie Review

Sean Baker’s The Florida Project portrays a slice of American life with characters who struggle mightily to get a piece of the pie. There’s kids and bright colors in a Disney setting that feels worlds away from the Magic Kingdom and short distance away from it that it is.

The film centers on six-year-old Moonee (Brooklyn Prince), who lives with mom Halley (Bria Vinaite) at a cheap hotel in close proximity to Mickey’s tourist attraction. The hotel is painted in gaudy palettes maintained by the hotel’s manager Bobby (Willem Dafoe), a kind and exasperated man who keeps a constant eye out for the kids who fill the premises. Halley is a former stripper constantly struggling to pay rent and make ends meet. Her friends at the hotel and their children are in similar situations. The never ending trials of the adults are seen, but mostly through the eyes of Moonee and friends Jancey (Valeria Cotto) and Scooty (Christopher Rivera).

We know there’s a lot of sad and desperate actions that allow Halley to plunk down the rent. Yet Moonee is still of the age where she doesn’t completely notice it or begin to comprehend it. The Florida Project presents her small world through her eyes. Each day, she sees parents and their kids staying at close by luxury hotels who are there to vacation and take in the wonder of what’s behind Disney’s gates. Her situation prevents her from entering them.

The screenplay by Baker and Chris Bergoch is less concerned with plot and more with tagging along with the youngsters. They seem real and not like movie kids who are all knowing and ahead of the adults. They get in trouble. They say mean things. And they’re bored and aimless much of the time while their elders tend to their struggles. They’re also played by genuinely impressive actors, especially Prince. First timer Vinaite creates quite a character in Halley, whose rough edges are not glossed over. And Dafoe has touching and forceful moments as witness to the motel’s daily drama.

We don’t see the people explored in The Florida Project onscreen often. The inhabitants of the Magic Castle motel don’t live in flyover territory. Far from it. They do live in territory that is driven by all day and night and mostly ignored. There’s enough heart and realism displayed here to make the two hours spent there worth it.

*** (out of four)

Oscar Watch: The Florida Project

The first trailer was released today for The Florida Project, a coming of age drama that debuted at Cannes earlier this summer. It is director Sean Baker’s follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2015 feature Tangerine and early word for this Project is quite glowing as well. The pic was snatched up by A24 for distribution rights and it opens in limited release on October 6th.

Rotten Tomatoes currently has Florida at 100% and it stands a good chance at some 2017 Oscar recognition. A24 has proven itself to be a player over the last couple of cycles in the awards derby by distributing such titles as Ex Machina, Room, The Lobster, 20th Century Women, and most notably – last year’s Best Picture winner Moonlight. 

Early buzz here suggests a nomination may well be in store for Willem Dafoe. If so, it would mark his third nomination after 1986’s Platoon and 2000’s Shadow of the Vampire. Reviews suggest this is one of his finest performances. It’s not totally clear if he’ll be campaigned for in Lead Actor or Supporting, but the smart money is on the latter. I would also say it’s worth keeping an eye on the Original Screenplay category where Baker and co-writer Chris Bergoch could find themselves in the mix.

As for Best Picture, A24 would need one heck of a push to make that happen, but they’ve proven themselves before. For that reason, this Project is one to keep an eye on when it comes to nominations.